


I Am Here For You

by misscinny



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Comfort, Drabble, F/M, Female Lavellan - Freeform, Fluff, cullen rutherford - Freeform, fears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-04
Updated: 2015-12-04
Packaged: 2018-05-04 21:44:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5349650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misscinny/pseuds/misscinny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen comforts Lavellan during a particularly rough night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Am Here For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [InannaAthanasia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InannaAthanasia/gifts).



> This was an art piece challenge given by InannaAthanasia

 

The air was especially cold on this particular eve, Cullen noted as he pulled the covers up to his chin. Often times his Lyrium withdrawal would overwhelm any other sensation he had and the weather wouldn’t bother him. But tonight was one of his rare, quiet nights. Instead of being grateful, he was rather irritated. It was just his luck that the weather would lend a hand in his perpetual insomnia.

 

He let out a hefty sigh as he stared up at the ceiling. That gaping hole was surely no help in the matter. He constantly assured himself that one day he would have it fixed. Cursed at himself when it slipped his mind and it would rain or snow.

 

Tomorrow, he assured himself. He would talk to a thatcher tomorrow. If there even was a thatcher in Skyhold.

 

A tiny creak of wood against stone jerked Cullen from his thoughts. He held still as he listened to the gentle padding of footsteps make their way through his office downstairs. Old wood groaned as weight was put onto the ladder that lead up to his personal quarters. Maker, why did he have to leave his sword on the other side of the room tonight? He watched in still silence as a small figure emerged from the opening in the floor. It slowly crept to the middle of the room and paused. Cullen strained to focus in the dark, trying to see who it was.

 

“Cullen,” a shaky voice whispered. He nearly jumped at the sound. “Cullen, are you awake?”

 

A flash of green illuminated everything briefly, and Cullen could see the Inquisitor standing in the center of the room in her sleeping gown. She cried out in pain, then muffled herself. She growled through gritted teeth and clutched her arm as the mark on her hand faded back into nothing.

 

“Vhildere!” he exclaimed as he jumped up in bed. He heard her sniff sadly.

 

“Could I stay here tonight?” she asked, her voice still trembling.

 

“Of course,” Cullen answered. He lifted the corner of his blanket as an invitation. Vhildere darted to his bed and dove into the covers. She curled against him and buried her face in his chest. He could feel her entire body quivering as he held her. He pulled the blanket up over her shoulders - though he knew that she wasn’t shivering from just the cold.

 

Cullen had noticed how shaken she was ever since she had returned from Adament last week. She would hide it when she was in front of her friends and companions - smiling and laughing at their jokes. But when she thought no one was looking, her brow would furrow slightly. Cullen saw it every time. A tiny panic behind her eyes from certain trigger words. If it fell too silent, she would tap impatiently and make small talk. Anything to keep her distracted from… Whatever it was that was troubling her mind.

 

Her breathing staggered as she fought her personal demons. Cullen ran his fingers through her tangled hair in an attempt to soothe her. The mark on her hand fizzled and popped between them, and she whimpered in pain. He shushed gently as he wrapped his arms around her. Nothing he did seemed to calm her.

 

“Oh, Vhildere. I wish I knew how to help,” he whispered.  He rubbed his knuckles over her temple. Large green eyes peeked up at him, Elvhen irises glinting in the dim moonlight. Cullen didn’t have to see her tears to know they were there.

 

He pressed a kiss on her forehead and hugged her close, humming chantry hymns mindlessly. It was something his mother used to do for him when he was just a boy. The melodies had always calmed him when he was spooked during thunderstorms. He still hummed to himself occasionally when the withdrawals would become unbearable.

 

Vhildere fell silent as she pressed her face into his chest. He watched her pointed ears twitch to the vibrato of his voice. He kept singing, going through all the hymns he had memorized in his mind. Anything to calm the elf in his arms. It was unnatural to see her like this. She was usually so strong, and so peppy. He hated that she was plagued by something that he was unable to protect her from.

 

Finally, Cullen felt the tension in her body ebb. He reached up and touched her face gently, rubbing the pad of his thumb across her temple affectionately. Her melancholy expression had eased back, and her eyes had closed. Cullen heard her breathing eased to a calm rhythm, and he was sure she had fallen asleep.

 

“Thank you,” she mumbled lightly - much to his surprise. He leaned down and pressed a whisper of a kiss on her lips. She never needed to thank him for something like this. He would hunt her down to the edges of the world if he knew she needed him. There wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do for her. And there wasn’t a day that would pass that he would always be concerned for her safety.

 

He lay there in bed for an unknown amount of time, gazing at her sleeping form. He watched her fervently until his own eyes grew heavy with sleep. He wanted to fight it; wanted to stay awake to assure she remained calm and well.

 

Surrendering to sleep, he gave Vhildere one last tight squeeze in his arms. Everything would be okay for her as long as he was there. Of that, he was certain.


End file.
